The current disclosure relates generally to refrigerators, and more specifically to a method of operating refrigerators to facilitate removal of the ice storage bins from the refrigerators.
A refrigerator usually has an ice storage bin for storing ice. The ice storage bins typically can be removed from the refrigerator if desired, without the removal of a motor which drives auger and/or ice crusher within the ice storage bin. The ice storage bin is typically coupled to the motor in a dual fork coupling arrangement with one fork being affixed to the motor and the other fork being affixed to a generally horizontally disposed shaft of the ice storage bin. This ice storage bin is typically secured to the refrigerator by tabs or latches. To remove the ice storage bin from the refrigeration, a user needs to first release the tab/latch connection by lifting the ice storage bin vertically. Typically, the fork affixed to the motor rotates in either direction based on input from a user, and can stop rotation whenever the input from the user ends. This stop in operation allows the forks to orient themselves in any random point along 360° of rotation. Once the forks have stopped rotating, if a portion of one fork is vertically above a portion of the other fork, removal of the ice storage bin by a user will be very difficult.
In other words, removal of a typical ice storage bin can be difficult if the coupling forks orient themselves in certain positions.
Therefore, a method for removal of an ice storage bin with a dual fork coupling arrangement is desired.